Rzhev Battles (Ржевская битва) is a general term for a series of World War II offensives launched during January 8, 1942—March 22, 1943 by Soviet forces in the general directions of Rzhev, Sychevka and Vyazma against a German salient in the vicinity of Moscow, known as "Rzhev meat grinder" ("Ржевская мясорубка") for its huge losses.

This part of the Great Patriotic War was poorly covered by Soviet military historiography, and only after the dissolution of the Soviet Union historians gained access to the relevant documents. Therefore exact dates of particular battles, their names, importance, and losses remain to be clarified further.

A reminder of these nameless and awardless battles is the poem by Aleksandr Tvardovsky, I was killed near Rzhev... (Я убит подо Ржевом, (1945-1946)).

The major operations are known as Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive (1942), 1st Rzhev-Sychevka Offensive, 2nd Rzhev-Sychevka Offensive (Operation Mars), and the final one, Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive (1943).

History

During the winter (1941) counter-attack of the Soviet Army, followed by the Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive of January-April, 1942 (one of the bloodiest Soviet offensives) the German forces were pushed away from Moscow. As a result, a salient was formed along the front line pointing in the Moscow direction, known as Rzhev-Vyazma Salient. It was strategically important for the German Army Group Centre, and therefore was strongly fortified.

Armies of Kalinin Front and Western Front were encyrcled, broke the encyrclement (May-June), and in July launched the 1st Rzhev-Sychevka Offensive against the salient. Soviet troops managed to temporarily enter parts of Rzhev, but the outcome was a failure.

The 2nd Rzhev-Sychevka Offensive of November-December, 1942, also known as Operation Mars was nearly as bloody as the Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive (1942), but also with no apparent success. The only gain was tying the German forces against their transfer to aid the Battle of Stalingrad raging at that very time.

However due of the general course of war, in February, 1943 Hitler ordered the troops to leave the Rzhev-Vyazma Salient, and the Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive of March, 1943 turned into a pursuit of the retreating Germans.

Losses

During the whole series of the Rzhev battles the losses of the Soviet Army are estimated by nearly 2,000,000 personnel.